Marquise Williams' first start at quarterback for UNC was last month at Virginia Tech.

Marquise Williams' first start at quarterback for UNC was last month at Virginia Tech.

Marquise Williams' first start at quarterback for UNC was last month at Virginia Tech.

Barring a change of venue and renewed eligibility for Chris Long and Ronde Barber, Marquise Williams’ second collegiate start won’t be nearly as daunting as his first.

North Carolina’s backup quarterback, Williams is set to start Saturday against visiting Virginia in place of Bryn Renner. The ACC’s career leader in pass efficiency, Renner had season-ending surgery this week after injuring his non-throwing (left) shoulder in last week’s victory at North Carolina State.

A senior from Northern Virginia, Renner had started 29 consecutive games before a foot injury sidelined him for last month’s encounter at Virginia Tech. In his stead, Williams threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for a team-high 56 yards, the first time in 10 years a quarterback had led the Tar Heels in rushing.

For a redshirt sophomore making his first start, on the road against one of the nation’s best defenses, Williams acquitted himself well in the 27-17 defeat. But he did throw two interceptions, the latter in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-1 from the Hokies’ 33-yard-line.

As you would expect, Williams isn’t as precise a passer as Renner and doesn’t know Larry Fedora’s hurry-up, spread offense as well. But watching him against Tech, you could tell why so many programs, including Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Florida, Louisville and Michigan, offered him a scholarship out of Charlotte’s Mallard Creek High.

Playing at home Saturday, and against a Cavaliers defense without starting cornerbacks Demetrious Nicholson (turf toe) and Maurice Canady (medical condition), Williams should be far more comfortable than he was at Lane Stadium.

Plus, he’s more experienced. Even when Renner was healthy, coach Larry Fedora used Williams in spot situations, usually as a runner, but not exclusively. For example, Williams threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to tight end Eric Ebron in a 27-23 loss to then-undefeated Miami.

The Hurricanes scored the winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining to deal North Carolina its fourth consecutive setback. Since, the Tar Heels (3-5, 2-3 ACC) have defeated Boston College and N.C. State to remain bowl viable.

A closing stretch of Virginia (2-7, 0-5), Pittsburgh, Old Dominion and Duke, with only Pitt on the road, should be manageable, if Williams thrives. For the season, he’s 40-of-66 for 537 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s rushed for 201 yards (4.0 per carry) and a score.

“He can throw the ball real well,” Fedora said on the ACC coaches’ teleconference, “but in the situations that we were using Marquise in, a lot of times to bring a complement to the offense that we didn't necessarily have with Bryn, is we brought more … quarterback runs into the offense.”

As the starter, Williams will have to be more complete than the quarterback who led the Tar Heels in rushing three of the last four games.

“We've got very good running backs that we can put the ball in their hands and make plays for them,” Fedora said. “But there will be instances I'm sure Marquise will run the football and we'll take advantage of some things. ...

“The fortunate thing for us is, Marquise has played in the three to four weeks, and … a lot of times the offensive line doesn't even know we've changed quarterbacks … because we're running them in and out so many different times they really didn't know. So that's probably a good thing.”

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Spend five minutes around Fedora and you quickly surmise that he takes Red Bull via an IV bag each morning. So it wasn’t surprising, given the recent scares for NFL coaches John Fox and Gary Kubiak, that North Carolina media asked Fedora about managing stress.

“I don’t do a very good job of it,” he said. “My wife tells me all the time. I think the thing you’ve got to do is, and here I am saying, you’ve got to try to find some balance, and I’m terrible at it. I’m terrible at it, I really am.

“You need work out. You need to eat right. You need to take care of yourself just like anybody else. Unfortunately, during (the) season a lot of times we don’t, and that’s probably the worst thing you can do for it. History for me is not very good health-wise during the season. It’s tough. I’m not one to be telling people what they ought to be doing because I don’t do a very good job of it. It’s very tough to balance your time.

“First of all, just on your family, it’s extremely difficult on them. You don’t see your family very often, and when you do, they’re usually dead asleep. It makes it very difficult. I know that’s hard for people to believe, but it really is during season. I don’t know if that’s a smart thing, but it’s what we do.“

I can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at dteel@dailypress.com. Follow me at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP

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